Eyeing Pyre-Winder with curiosity, Kalhiri asks puzzled, "Are you digging a grave or hiding evidence from their friends? Apologies, I really can't tell."
Pyre-Winder regarded Kalhiri for a moment before chuckling, " I'm honestly not sure..."
Fadihelps his ally. As soon as it's done, he unties his hair and ties it up again, making a kind of ponytail that goes under the rings that holds his long ears together. This is something he does after every combat or other laborious activities.
"Ah, let's not consign them to the earth just yet, shall we? I think an examination is due here. I find this all rather odd."
Torfric swoops in, flicking back his coat and kneeling over the corpses. "We had them outnumbered. Any fool could see we aren't defenceless. And all the same, they charged us headlong and fought to the death without a second's hesitation. I've known gnolls to be savage, but not stupid." His hands move in sharp, practiced motions, conducting a sort of cursory autopsy, prying open their eyelids, their mouths, checking for any signs of malaise or enchantment. "Something pushed them to this, I suspect. Desperation, derangement, or...some greater power, perhaps?"
Pyre-Winder watched the investigation with interested and then continued.
" Gnolls are....not known for introspection...physically we as a group are not particularly imposing, I can see two gnolls thinking we were easy prey. But its always good to have more information."
"Hm, I kinda think the same," Kalhiri finds herself agreeing with Torfric. "Predators usually know what's a match for them and those two seemed to have some sort of a death wish. I'd say we certainly have to keep our guard up if there's nothing to be found wrong with them."
Fadiwatches in awe as Torfric does his investigation and his speech. With the most naive look on his face, Fadi looks to each of the party members as they talk, not knowing how to respond, kind of amazed as to how much these people seem to know, even though they don't all agree.
Kalhiri looked the gnolls over with a glance, “perhaps I’m overthinking this, too. If there’s something strange to it, we’ll find out soon enough, I guess.”
As the party is investigating the fallen gnolls they see the stout and recognizable form of Garth running as fast as his moderately long legs will carry him along their path, clearly trying to catch up. As he approaches the group he slows, taking in the carnage, "So...I see you've all been keeping busy!"
He looks over the bodies as Aelin, his companion, swoops out of the sky and starts feasting on the softer parts of the bodies. "Noone minds, I hope? We had a long dash after we realized you'd all moved on. He's famished."
Catching his breath, he looks around, "So am I for that matter. What's say we move on a ways then stop for a bit of lunch?"
After a long trek through the Dessarin Valley you all arrive at Summit Hall. This small stronghold stands on a hilltop in the southern region of Sumber Hills. it consists of a stone hall surrounded by a fifteen foot wall with a sturdy wooden gate. Stables, a tower, barracks and storage buildings are enclosed within the protective wall. A banner flying an emblem of a crossed torch and sword flutters overhead. A young woman stands in front of a front gate, looking bored out of her mind.
Garth laughs and nods a greeting to the woman, "Don't guarding the gate just take the biscuit? Eh?"
He looks around for signs of other guards then turns back to the woman, "Garth Longshanks at your service," he says, thumping his fist to his chest. "We heard tell of some kind trouble here-abouts..."
"The vigour of youth, some intriguing tavern gossip, and a general, benign investment in serving the public interest," replies Torfric, readily. "If you prefer specifics, there was some bother about a missing delegation in these parts, which we mean to investigate. Although if you truly want to trace things back to the root, I might venture that the plight of the working class is what brought us here. Economic dynamics, yes? I've often suspected that far fewer people would hear 'the call of adventure' if one could grow rich and prosperous baking bread for their village, or some such thing. Then perhaps it wouldn't be seen as commonplace for enterprising souls to go chasing dark rumours and spelunking forgotten ruins in search of reward, and then the notion to do exactly that would never have occurred to any of us, would it?"
As he goes on, it becomes clear he's talking less and less to the guardswoman and more and more to himself, his palm gradually sliding up his chin in contemplation. "All speculation, mind you. The anatomy of man is my field, less so its behaviour. But an interesting question nonetheless. What does bring us here...?"
Fadi kindly taps Torfric's shoulder, as a silent way to get him out of his rambling. "Yes, what he said... We're adventurers and the talk about a vanishing delegation got our attention. I'm Fadi, by the way" he says with a slight bow.
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Pyre-Winder regarded Kalhiri for a moment before chuckling, " I'm honestly not sure..."
"...Either way... want some help?" Fadi asks Pyre-Winder, also looking curiously.
" Never say no to help."
Fadi helps his ally. As soon as it's done, he unties his hair and ties it up again, making a kind of ponytail that goes under the rings that holds his long ears together. This is something he does after every combat or other laborious activities.
"Ah, let's not consign them to the earth just yet, shall we? I think an examination is due here. I find this all rather odd."
Torfric swoops in, flicking back his coat and kneeling over the corpses. "We had them outnumbered. Any fool could see we aren't defenceless. And all the same, they charged us headlong and fought to the death without a second's hesitation. I've known gnolls to be savage, but not stupid." His hands move in sharp, practiced motions, conducting a sort of cursory autopsy, prying open their eyelids, their mouths, checking for any signs of malaise or enchantment. "Something pushed them to this, I suspect. Desperation, derangement, or...some greater power, perhaps?"
"Think you're putting too much thought into it," Valen huffs, "They're basically just hungry animals without options."
Pyre-Winder watched the investigation with interested and then continued.
" Gnolls are....not known for introspection...physically we as a group are not particularly imposing, I can see two gnolls thinking we were easy prey. But its always good to have more information."
"Hm, I kinda think the same," Kalhiri finds herself agreeing with Torfric. "Predators usually know what's a match for them and those two seemed to have some sort of a death wish. I'd say we certainly have to keep our guard up if there's nothing to be found wrong with them."
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || b'Reh - Stig Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Zephirah - Demonic Bard - Sands || Merry - Gifted Surgeon - Short || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus || Lan - Dwarf Dragon - Wuxian ||
Fadi watches in awe as Torfric does his investigation and his speech. With the most naive look on his face, Fadi looks to each of the party members as they talk, not knowing how to respond, kind of amazed as to how much these people seem to know, even though they don't all agree.
(anything else anyone wants to before setting on the train again?)
Kalhiri looked the gnolls over with a glance, “perhaps I’m overthinking this, too. If there’s something strange to it, we’ll find out soon enough, I guess.”
(ready to go on, I am)
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || b'Reh - Stig Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Zephirah - Demonic Bard - Sands || Merry - Gifted Surgeon - Short || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus || Lan - Dwarf Dragon - Wuxian ||
As the party is investigating the fallen gnolls they see the stout and recognizable form of Garth running as fast as his moderately long legs will carry him along their path, clearly trying to catch up. As he approaches the group he slows, taking in the carnage, "So...I see you've all been keeping busy!"
He looks over the bodies as Aelin, his companion, swoops out of the sky and starts feasting on the softer parts of the bodies. "Noone minds, I hope? We had a long dash after we realized you'd all moved on. He's famished."
Catching his breath, he looks around, "So am I for that matter. What's say we move on a ways then stop for a bit of lunch?"
Fadi chuckles on the sight of Aelin eating his enemies with no ceremony. "Yes, let's get going" he answers.
After a long trek through the Dessarin Valley you all arrive at Summit Hall. This small stronghold stands on a hilltop in the southern region of Sumber Hills. it consists of a stone hall surrounded by a fifteen foot wall with a sturdy wooden gate. Stables, a tower, barracks and storage buildings are enclosed within the protective wall. A banner flying an emblem of a crossed torch and sword flutters overhead. A young woman stands in front of a front gate, looking bored out of her mind.
Pyre-Winder called out to the gate guard, " How are you! Pleasant day isn't it."
Kalhiri salutes as they approach the gate.
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || b'Reh - Stig Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Zephirah - Demonic Bard - Sands || Merry - Gifted Surgeon - Short || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus || Lan - Dwarf Dragon - Wuxian ||
Garth laughs and nods a greeting to the woman, "Don't guarding the gate just take the biscuit? Eh?"
He looks around for signs of other guards then turns back to the woman, "Garth Longshanks at your service," he says, thumping his fist to his chest. "We heard tell of some kind trouble here-abouts..."
The lady looks up at the lot of you. She seems surprised to see you all there. Her eyes narrow "Flannery Cuttail, what brings you people here?"
"The vigour of youth, some intriguing tavern gossip, and a general, benign investment in serving the public interest," replies Torfric, readily. "If you prefer specifics, there was some bother about a missing delegation in these parts, which we mean to investigate. Although if you truly want to trace things back to the root, I might venture that the plight of the working class is what brought us here. Economic dynamics, yes? I've often suspected that far fewer people would hear 'the call of adventure' if one could grow rich and prosperous baking bread for their village, or some such thing. Then perhaps it wouldn't be seen as commonplace for enterprising souls to go chasing dark rumours and spelunking forgotten ruins in search of reward, and then the notion to do exactly that would never have occurred to any of us, would it?"
As he goes on, it becomes clear he's talking less and less to the guardswoman and more and more to himself, his palm gradually sliding up his chin in contemplation. "All speculation, mind you. The anatomy of man is my field, less so its behaviour. But an interesting question nonetheless. What does bring us here...?"
Fadi kindly taps Torfric's shoulder, as a silent way to get him out of his rambling. "Yes, what he said... We're adventurers and the talk about a vanishing delegation got our attention. I'm Fadi, by the way" he says with a slight bow.